Battle of Bloody Gulch

The Battle of Bloody Gulch occurred on 13 June 1944 during the Battle of Carentan in World War II. The battle involved a German counterattack against the American defenders of Carentan, with the US 101st Airborne Division bearing the brunt of the German assault. The Americans were able to turn the tide when the US 2nd Armored Division arrived, and Carentan was successfully held.

History
On 10 June, the Americans began their assault on the German stronghold of Carentan, a town that served as a link between Utah Beach and Omaha Beach. The town could serve as a springboard for further Allied advances into France; for the Germans, it could serve as a wedge between the isolated Allied forces. After overcoming light resistance, the Americans entered Carentan on 12 June. However, the bulk of the defending 6th Fallschirmjaeger Regiment had withdrawn to the southwest of Carentan the previous night after a heavy Allied naval and artillery bombardment, and the 6th Fallschirmjaeger Regiment resupplied and was reinforced by assault guns and panzergrenadiers of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Goetz von Berlichingen. At dawn on 13 June 1944, the Germans counterattacked northeast towards Carentan.

The German assault was highly effective, forcing the outnumbered and outgunned paratroops of the US 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment to retreat almost back to the outskirts of town. F Company broke and fell back, and D Company, with its flank exposed, was also forced to retreat. This left just Easy Company to resist the Germans, and battalion headquarters forced F and D Company to return to the battle. The 2nd Battalion of the US 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment took up positions to the right of the 506th, but it suffered heavy casualties. The German attack was on the verge of breaking through their defenses, but, at that critical point, 60 tanks from the US 2nd Armored Division and troops from the US 29th Infantry Division arrived and rescued the paratroops. The American tanks inflicted severe casualties on the Germans, who were forced to retreat. The victory allowed for the Americans from Utah and Omaha beaches to link up, contributing to the ability of the Americans to prepare for a breakout from Normandy.